BROOKINGS – Aberdeen Central used a strong fourth quarter to pull away from the Bobcats and post a 46-36 Eastern South Dakota Conference win at Bob Jostad Gymnasium in both teams’ regular-season finale.

“This was an important game for us just to get our confidence back – to get our groove back, so to speak – and I thought we really played well defensively,” said Bobcat head coach Lynn Frederick. “I think that’s been the most consistent part of our game this year –we’ve been really good defensively and getting better as we go.

“I think our kids did a good job – I think this was a confidence-builder for us and prepares us for O’Gorman – we got work against a zone; we got work against a physical basketball team and I think that’s going to help us.”

Brookings scored the first five points of the game; was up 9-8 after a quarter; and still led 17-13 following a basket inside by Grace Eggebrecht with 4:29 left in the second.

Melia Mounga’s basket in the lane started a 7-0 Golden Eagle run that was capped off by Adrianna Hase’s bucket with 2:01 to play. In between, Paiton Burckard knocked down a free throw and then scored in the paint as Aberdeen Central held a 22-20 advantage at halftime.

The Eagles maintained the momentum they gained in the second quarter with a quick start in the third.

Burckhard opened the second half with an old-fashioned three-point play after scoring off an offensive rebound and adding the charity toss, and then, Cassidy Gough converted down low to push the Eagles’ lead to seven points barely a minute into the third quarter.

Aberdeen Central took its largest lead of the game with 3:15 to play in the quarter on a Burckhard free throw, which put the Eagles up by eight at 36-28.

But the Bobcats sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers – by Megan Gilk and Baylee Tetzlaff –around another Burckhard basket to pull within 38-34 heading into the final frame.

Central scored the only basket of the fourth – a Mounga hoop at the 4:11 mark – and then the Eagles went 5-of-6 from the foul line down the stretch to improve to 15-5 overall and 11-5 in the ESD.

“The rebounding was a little bit of a problem tonight – that’s dictated by other things – but in terms of playing with more confidence on the offensive end and attacking the zone, we got plenty of good shots,” Frederick said. “We probably didn’t go inside as much as we needed to and that’s something we’ll address as we move forward.

“We did some things differently (as far as) X’s and O’s tonight that our kids did a nice job with, but some of the intangibles – about just being ready to play; being more physical; playing with more confidence; believing – those types of things all came into play tonight.”

Tetzlaff led the Bobcats, 8-12 and 8-8 ESD, with 13 points as Michaela Jewett grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

Burckhard and Mounga each posted double-doubles as Burckhard finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds while Mounga notched 17 points and 13 boards as the Eagles held a 43-27 edge on the glass.

On Monday, the Bobcats travel to Sioux Falls to face O’Gorman in the first round of District 1AA play while the Golden Eagles open District 3AA play at home against Mitchell.

Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. for both games.